Cash or check?
by kiarcheo
Summary: Written for the second week of SwanQueenAUSaturdays on tumblr. This week prompt is 'The 1920's.' Obviously, since it's Swan Queen, it's a Emma/Regina piece.


Written for the second week of SwanQueenAUSaturdays on tumblr. This week prompt is **The 1920's**

I have no knowledge about the period, the slang or the life in the 1920's. That coupled with the fact that it's my first Swan Queen means that they are probably really OOC. Hope you enjoy it anyway.

English is still not my first language, so thanks to _slackerD_ for the help

* * *

Regina gingerly took out the gun from the false bottom of the drawer.

"I wouldn't do it, if I were you, doll."

Regina spun around, trembling hands pointing the gun towards the figure calmly sitting on the windowsill smoking a cigar.

"Put that down, doll, or one of us will get hurt." The intruder stood up, moving towards her. "And that would surely be you." She continued in an even voice as she imperturbably snatched the gun from Regina's hands.

"Who are you?" Regina snarled, trying to appear unaffected, holding her chin high. "What do you want? What are you doing here?" she demanded, her tone authoritative.

"You could call me a friend." Regina found herself staring into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. "If you let me help you."

"Help me? Nobody can help me." Regina bitterly spat.

"So you decided to help yourself? By killing your husband?" The question didn't betray any judgment. Actually they were posed as questions, but they were said as statements.

"Who are you?" Regina asked again, the tremble in her voice not entirely concealed.

"People call me Swan."

Regina gasped as the fedora revealed a cascade of blonde curls. She couldn't believe she didn't realize it sooner; the completely white suit coupled with the red tie wasn't an usual attire. Emma Swan was what they called a lethal beauty. Not just because she was admittedly breathtaking, but because she was one of the best hit-man around…and the only hit-woman, if such a term existed. There were legends about her. One of them was that she never missed her target.

"You're here to kill me."

Emma regarded the calm and pride with which Regina carried herself, even in this situation, admiring it. "It seems that someone is not so fond of you, either."

"What are you waiting for, then, dear?"

Emma laughed at the haughtiness in Regina's tone. Yes, she liked this woman. "Like I said, I could help you."

"You'd spare me? Out of the goodness of your heart?" Regina didn't even try to act as she believed it.

"If you bump off your husband, you'll be marked for life. Even if you did manage to escape, which I doubt, you'd never find peace." Emma ignored the question.

"It will be better than this life."

"But." Emma continued. "If your husband were to be killed by another gang…I'm sure there is someone out there who would benefit from his death."

Regina let a smile escape at the thought, before frowning. "But nobody asked you to…"

"You might be a gangster's girl , but you don't seem stupid." Regina didn't know if she should be grateful for the compliment or offended. "Why do you think a trail of corpses follow every big guy's death?"

"Retaliation?"

Emma shook her head. "Their deaths have my signature on them, but I never snitch on my bosses. They don't know who ordered the hit, so they just take out everyone." She shrugged. "And I don't just work for anyone, so nobody would think of you, doll."

"Why would you do that?" Regina was suspicious. "What would you get?"

"You."

Emma shook her head twice as if to clear it, before massaging her cheek, stinging from the slap. "Spunky. I like that in a dame." She said smirking, before getting serious and swiftly pinning Regina to the wall, one hand holding her wrist next to her head and the other across her neck. "But never do that again. Got it?"

Regina nodded, as much as she could with Emma's hand on her neck, her eyes wide and scared.

"Good. I hate hitting women, but I hate being hit more." The blonde let her go and Regina took a deep breath, followed by a couple of coughs.

"Why would I accept?"

"You're a tough one, baby, aren't you?" Emma was amused.

"Why would I leave one prison for another?"

"Hey." The torpedo was offended. "I'm a woman in a male profession. Hell, in a male world. I'd never treat my woman like that."

They stared at each other, until Emma broke the silence. "Do we have a deal?"

"I don't do deals. I've done one, and it ruined my life." Regina thought hatefully of Mr. Gold.

"Whatever. Do we agree?" The blonde rolled her eyes.

Regina glared at her, before nodding slowly. After all, she had nothing to lose, beside her life. And at the moment, even that wasn't hers to lose.

"Perfect. You'll hear from me. Be ready to leave." Emma put her fedora back on her head.

"Won't it be strange? Leopold dying and me disappearing?" the brunette asked worried.

"I'm not directly involved in gangs' wars, but it doesn't mean they won't try to end me. Killers have no immunity. Especially after big hits. I'll spread the word that you're the payment for my service."

"But what about your real payment? You're double crossing them," Regina reasoned. "You won't get anything."

Emma was already on the windowsill."I got a hunch that you're worth much more than that."

Regina fought a smile.

"Cash or check?" the blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Scram!"

Emma laughed, disappearing out the window until only her head was left. "Any special request?"

Regina looked at her. "Make him suffer." She said seriously, with an evil glint in her eyes.

Emma grinned wolfishly at her. "Consider it done."

* * *

Apparently:

**Cash or check?** - Do you kiss now or later?

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it...and leave a review if you did :-)


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